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The Perils of Courtship
A place of continuous prosperity. A village that held an influence that shaped the world into what it was today. All contained within the very heart of the Fire Country; this was Konohagakure. A name very befitting, given its almost warming atmosphere. He was expected to be somewhat amazed at the sights it had to offer but no words could explain the admiration he held when looking toward the Hokage mountain. It was simply spectacular. The teen began his wandering, taking in the noise of the busy streets while dodging crowds of people. Before long, he came across their meeting place; it was a ramen shop and supposedly the best in all the land, one being heavily advertised by Konoha's Seventh Fire Shadow. It was an event that was rather exciting and slightly unnerving all at once. Meeting an potential colleague in a place he was so very unfamiliar with. Of course the person in question would have to serve as a guide of some sort. After eyeing his watch for the time, Kiyoshi let out a tired sigh wondering where this "Katoku Hatake" kid was. "He must have some potential," Kiyoshi thought aloud to himself, looking at the identification card he was given to verify the person. "To think they're starting to recruit 'em so young." The statement came out as if he himself was a seasoned veteran on the United Shinobi Forces, despite only being apart of their special ops for a few months now. "Then again it isn't very surprising considering the guy's lineage. Talk about powerful genes." Placing the card atop the table, Kiyoshi's eyes scanned the stop in hopes of finding the Hatake among the people present. Ahem. It was a sound that pulled the teen from his hunt, bringing him to gaze upon a waitress's gleaming smile. "After you ready to order, sir?" She asked with an infectiously bubbly manner. He could help but smile lightly in return, rubbing his head before replying. "Ahh, not quite, I'm kinda waiting on someone." To deny himself the enjoy of food on behalf of another, drove him mad. Who meets at a ramen shop to order nothing? He couldn't help think whilst sinking down in his seat. What was a large village had grown into a city full of gleaming skyscrapers, full of the rigors of the urban landscape. She avoided those places however. Large screens projecting all of the world and thousands of people milling about the street meant unnecessary noise and conspicuous and a high chance of recognition. Her face was already distinctive enough; most recognized her immediately as the oldest of that woman. Many remarked that she was already sharing in her mother's beauty, eyes like crushed sapphires and wavy blonde locks trailing the length of her back. Regardless, she desired just one day, one hour without someone commenting on her appearance, or her relation, or any of that. It made all of her accomplishments seem worthless, the result of who she called kin or because she was an attractive individual. So Shi had taken to the historic district, the "authentic" part of Konoha. It was quieter, the people friendlier; while they still knew who Shigemi was, it was from the building of a client-vendor relationship, as opposed to some aloof figure who loomed over their lives. On this particular day, she drifted through the main street, greeting various vendors who she had shopped within the past, exchanging small talk about their families and her younger siblings. These talks would be cut short by the grumbling of the young woman's stomach however. Saying her goodbyes, Shi made her way towards her favorite dining place: the ramen shop Ichiraku. They had expanded recently, adding a larger sit-down area because of popular demand. As usual, the place was busy during lunch hour, the establishment remaining a hit with a locals and a gem for travelers. Eyes roving across the space, she would spot an open seat. Feeling the comfort that only a ramen shop could provide, Shi would sit down in the available area, opening a menu. "Hmm....what to order today.." With his eyes still a wander while keeping lookout for the Hatake son, Kiyoshi couldn't help but take in the arrival of the spectacular beauty through his shaded spectacles. He was lucky enough for the concealing they provided, being just dark enough to hide the fact that his eyes could not peel away. It was almost as he they refused to listen to the screams his brain commanded. If his skin had been any shades lighter, the grievance would be written across his visage in hot red ink. He was in fact so taken away that there he hadn't noticed the Hatake boy standing directly across from where he sat. And unlike the blonde, he could see his pervert's eyes with being so close. "Wowwww." The stranger spoke up suddenly, startling the unsuspecting teen shitless. "Holy crap," Kiyoshi breathing into a laugh, nervous rubbing the back on his head. "I didn't see you there." "That's kinda obvious, seeing as your attention was so forced on that girl." Katoku said with an annoyed tone. "Who by the way, is my sister. So keep your eyes away." "Gotcha man, no harm done." Kiyoshi offered with his hands raised. "I have a thing for red hair, I'm sorry." The comment forced Katoku to swerve hard, shooting his darker teen a look of utter confusion. "Red hair?" Katoku began eyeing the area, his sights landing up his teammate; who also happened to be in the establishment at the same period. After all, Ichiraku's was the most popular spot during the lunch or all hours for that matter. "Wait, no. Not her. But you can back off her all well." He said, sounding a little angry. "I was talking about the blonde, that's my sister." "Oh, that makes more sense..." Kiyoshi said as his eyes drifted over to one known as Shigemi. "Ahh, she's cute." His face revealed to be perplexed, taken aback by the lack of excitement in his another male's voice. And if he were telling the truth, Katoku would be offended. "Cute?" Katoku spoke as if he were hard of hearing. "Just cute?" Kiyoshi responded with a confused look of his own, wondering how in the hell he ended up in this situation. "She's pretty?" Though his efforts at remedying the boy's odd and unamusing frustration went without purpose. "Look, I don't really think that's important. So why don't we ju-" His added attempts at a subject were forcibly discarded by Katoku's mildly overbearing voice. "I think you need to take a closer look." He said, pulling a frustrated sigh from Kiyoshi. "Hey Shi! Come over here and sit with us!" He yelled obnoxiously, hoping to grab his sister's attention. Just as she was about to settle on a particular item, Shigemi heard a familiar voice cross the establishment. Loud and obnoxious, it could only belong to one person: her little brother. The young woman resisted the urge to turn her head. She sighed inwardly, realizing her peace and quiet would be no more. While she was tempted to stay put, Shi knew Katoku would either move to where she was sitting or continue yelling until she was forced to leave. However, part of her caught the word "us" at the end of the sentence. It appeared that her brother wasn't dining alone. She assumed he was either with his teammates or his twin. Deciding that a small greeting wouldn't be remiss, Shigemi stood, folding the menu before carrying it with her. Upon arriving at the table, she stood, finding a sight that she didn't expect: a kumo-nin. Her gaze raked over him, sapphire flames blazing in her eyes. Shi turned her attention to Katoku. "Is there a reason why you chose to disturb my lunch little brother?" she asked, tone chilly and clearly unamused. Part of the reason why she dined in the historic district was because she could eat in peace while surrounded by people. An extroverted introvert her mother called her. Not that it mattered now. "Well?" "Hey sis!" Katoku greeted his sister with a smile, despite the young woman's clear indication that she would have rather remained un-bothered during the current lunch hour. An understandable notion given the unruly and downright maddening acts younger siblings tend to commit. Katoku often relished in annoying his siblings, it was a duty that he felt could only be accomplished by him. And more often than not, it would leave him bruised but to him there was no greater joy. His almond colored eyes flashed over to his new found acquaintance, giving the teen an almost eerie smile before beginning again. "So?" With a face that remained unamused, Kiyoshi sat back in his chair tossing his arms into a folded position. "I am not entertaining this." He said looking over to Shigemi then to Katoku. "She looks like that at any given moment, your head could be smashed into this table." Though he could help but chuckle at the thought, his voice held all sincerity. "Whatever impending wrath she has from you, will remain directed towards you." "Don't be a chicken!" Katoku shouted over other teen, pulling attention from every inch of the restaurant. "Why is this happening to me?" Kiyoshi said in a quieted groan, toward his head toward the ceiling. "It's because you can't luster up the courage to tell my sister she's just cute." Katoku retorted at as if he won the argument; when in reality, he sounded stupid, plain and simple. "Why does that even matter?" Frustration was becoming very evident within Kiyoshi as their spat went back and forth. "You practically forced me to notice her then got upset when I commented, you can't do that!" "I think your prescription needs to be updated." Katoku snarked, laughing at his teen rising discontent. "These are obviously shades." Kiyoshi shot back, peeling his specs off. "Who the fuck wears shades in a building though?" No sooner had the words left Kiyoshi's mouth when Shigemi grabbed Katoku by the ear, her great-grandmother's strength flowing through her arm as she threw her brother over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She then marched outside of the shop before setting Kato on the ground none too gently. "I will tell you once and only once. I know that I did not raise you to be a sniveling, obnoxious brat nor did I come here to play babysitter. You will stop this immediately. Unless you want that again. Though that sounds appealing too," she paused, her sapphire gaze boring holes into Katoku's person. "Choose one." the knuckles in her right hand cracked as she waited. Ultimately, she felt he was taking too long. Not caring, Shigemi's right hand closed over Katoku's face before squeezing. She lifted him off of the ground as she flexed, her grip tightening. Shigemi ignored the gaping customers and passerby as she did this, continuing along until she was satisfied. Shigemi then dropped her brother on the ground like a sack of potatoes. "Now, you will go in there and apologize to the customers for creating a scene, the manager for being obnoxious, and most importantly to your acquaintance for being an obnoxious little snit. Understood?" With that, she pointed to the entrance of the ramen shop, her gaze as cold as the icy depths of the ocean. "Oh shit!" Kiyoshi shouted out of pure reaction, actually drawing his body from table fear. While having hinted at some violent explosion from the blonde lass, he fully didn't expect for anything to happen given the public setting they happened to be in. The teen stared on in full suspense, witnessing the younger sibling treated as the child he was acting as. Katoku, however, expected nothing less from his sister. And to get Shigemi to display the shrouded demon that dwell beneath, was all he hoped for. It was to endure that no one would find a wife in such a monster. After all, his actions were for her sake. So that she may live life without men lusting after her and fearing every step she would take. "Fine, sister. You win." He spoke with a small wince. Following her command, and as her well behaved younger brother; Katoku would address the restaurant as a whole, apologize for his childish demeanor and disturbing their peace. He would make his way back to his sister, with her gaze ever sharp. "I want to formally introduce to my future partner, Sis." The other teen watched on with an unknowing expression having taken his seat once more. It was like her actions flipped giant child into a responsible young adult. A scary sight would be down playing the situation. Though it was internally funny nonetheless. Upon entering inside, the the demon was tucked back inside as if nothing had occurred. She walked inside, ignoring the stares that followed her frame. "I want to apologize for my kid sibling's childish and immature behavior, no one should be subjected to that," she said, her tone surprisingly warm as her chilly gaze melted. She extended a hand to shake his. "My name is Shigemi Hatake. The nuisance next to me is my younger brother and one half of a set of twins: Katoku Hatake. Though I suppose you know that already. What is your name?" Shigemi asked. Unlike before she did not hover over the table, instead taking a seat and opening the menu she had discarded earlier. "So you are to be Katoku's new partner? I hope your prepared for more of his typically poor behavior...." Similar to what happened to the brother, it was as if a switch was flipped that brought them back to normalcy. Stunned, Kiyoshi readily return the gesture, collapse their hands in a mutual shake that was surprisingly......warm and inviting. "It's quite fine, Shigemi." He chuckled, glancing at Katoku before return his focus back to the sister. "I can relate to a degree. Younger siblings can definitely be a headache." He was so taken away by the suddenly mood change that he had forgotten to introduce himself. "I'm Kiyoshi by the way.... Kiyoshi Yuri." "I don't feel that I'm poorly behaved. More like.... outspoken and a free-spirited." Katoku interjected, nodding as he did. "So clearly, I am the better twin." Of course, Katoku believe this to be true, seeing as his brother was far more reserved than he and therefore a boring individual. "Though we've only met once before prior to meeting here, I can't say that you've made a good impression." Kiyoshi teased, pointing at the bruise straddling the boy's forehead. "Eh, give it time, you'll come to love me like anyone else." "Anyway." Kiyoshi cut him off, flipping though the menu. "Do either of you have any suggestions on what I should get? Totally not familiar with this place." "Outspoken and free-spirited are just a polite way of saying pig-headed and hare-brained," Shigemi responded. She knew Katoku's bias would mean rating himself as the better twin, but there were times that she preferred Yasaki's reserved nature. Now was one of those times. "You mean come to tolerate you." Shigemi reopened the menu. "I would recommend the Tsukemen or the Shoyu, both are delicious and flavorful. The Shoyu being most popular because it's what comes to mind when people think of a ramen dish. I typically have it with sliced chicken or pork and all of the fixing. It's a pretty hearty dish overall," she said, putting in her recommendation. She closed the menu once more. "So Kiyoshi, where are you from?" While she assumed it was Kumogakure, it didn't hurt to make sure. With the subsequent success of the Shinobi Union, it was common for individuals to move from one village to another, blurring lines nation lines. Konoha was no exception to this rule. Katoku's face soured at his sister's rebuttal, she was only saying that due to her current annoyed disposition. It was surely the only logical explanation for the filth her portrayed him as. He hugged her, pulling their face together so that the cheeks touched. "You're obviously not in the right frame of mind, so I'll take that." His voice sounded very convinced of the words he spoke. After having finally resisted the urge to talk, Katoku scanned through the vast array of food to order from; and if he were being honest, he didn't quite understand the hype behind Ichiraku's. In his mind there was nothing truly exceptional about this place. "Why did we have to meet here of all places?" Ignoring his soon-to-be comrade, Kiyoshi turned his attention back toward the suddenly striking older sister. It was odd feeling, especially when consider he hadn't paid any mind to her minutes earlier. Perhaps it was the thought of reaching for something he couldn't have that fueled the blooming attraction. Assuming that Shigemi was a regular at the restaurant, Kiyoshi found himself aligning with the options she had thrown out. "Kumogakure." Kiyoshi answered the question with pride laced into his vocal cords. "Ah yes, our rival village," she commented. Though it was friendly banter now, she knew not too long ago that Konoha and Kumo had been involved in an arms race. Power was key in those days, and even if they were friendly allies that didn't change the competitiveness remaining. She handed the menu to the waitress as she returned, placing her order. "I'll take a Shoyu with extra chicken please," Shigemi said politely. The young woman ignored her brother's attempts at making up while waiting for him and Kiyoshi to place their own orders. Now that she wasn't disciplining her younger brother, Shi was free to take a closer look at his new partner. The boy was older than her brother clearly, and a good bit more mature. His eyes were a cloudy grey, mesmerizing to most. She hoped that he would be able to teach her brother some manners, considering all of her own lessons had been for naught. She flicked her younger brother on the head, pushing him away with one hand. "Stop being a lovesick puppy Katoku," Shigemi said, mildly irritated by her brother's behavior. "Ohh, I'll have what she's having." Kiyoshi blurted out, deciding that he'd go with the blonde's choice after being unable to choice for himself. Kiyoshi couldn't keep himself from laughing at the display of sibling "affection". It was a war zone he was very familiar with. Although not as extreme, the young man's dear baby sister knew just what buttons to press to ignite the flames of conflict. Despite what his parents suggested, Kiyoshi was pretty sure his sister hated him. Katoku gave Kiyoshi a burning side glare, daring him to try something; anything. Like a viper waiting to strike, Katoku was all ears into their conversation. One would foolish not to pick up on the vast warning signs waved. Or he could have simply not cared. Either way, Kiyoshi found himself engrossed in the lad's sister, beckoning himself to further conversation. After all, Katoku did pull her into this. "Other than playing mother for your brat brother, what do you do?" Kiyoshi started, opening with a smile and a slight glance over to Katoku. "Judging by the display of power behind those flawless features, you seem like the type for a lot of undercover special operations." She would flick her brother on the side of the head once more. "Katoku Hatake." Saying his name meant a warning, a threat, and a promise all rolled into one. Her overprotective brother seemed to forget that she could handle herself just fine. "Sorry about my brother's behavior, I don't know what has gotten into him," Shigemi said, apologizing once more. She handed over the menu to the waiter before he left. Ignoring her brother's continued angst, she returned her gaze to Kiyoshi. "Mostly shop, chatting with the locals while looking for the best deal. As for my job....well, that's a bit classified. Some things are better left unsaid." The young woman smiled slightly at his complement. "What do you do in your free time?" Katoku eventually shelfed his harboring anger so that he'd be separated another beating, as angst as he was, there is only so much one take. Even so, Katoku would definitely not let this go anytime soon. Allowing the conversation to mute into background noise, Katoku thought about his actions leading up to this. In and attempt to put his sister out of the romantic interest of his soon-to-be partner, he instead practically pushed her into Kiyoshi's arms. "You're so easy to read." Kiyoshi chuckled, teasing the young woman just slightly. "You could've said anything else... maybe even lie." His tone became more serious, pulling Katoku back into their dialogue. "I didn't want to believe it at first....that someone so beautiful could do such horrendous crimes." The pools of gray in his eyes trickled into a glowing white, mimicking the infamous dojutsu of their mother. "Shigemi Hatake, you're coming with me." Shigemi smirked. "I have no idea what you are referring to Kiyoshi Yuri." She stood, carefully avoiding contact with his eyes as soon as those eyes sprung to life. That would be a problem. Then again, it would be nothing given her skills. "The most beautiful faces can hide the ugliest things." With that, she vanished. Katoku's bulged to the point of escaping from his head, taken aback by the sudden shift their conversation had taken. "Huh?" Was the only thing he managed to get out before Shigemi poofed out of existence, leaving behind a log. "Shigemi?" Katoku sprang from his seat, looking to Kiyoshi for an explanation. But that's was not want he received. Before Katoku could even get a word out, the cloud shinobi was already out the door, presumably, chasing Shigemi. "What the hell is going on?" He shouted at Kiyoshi, hurrying after the teen. "Your sister," Kiyoshi didn't missed a beat as he quickly leaped on top a nearby building, knowing the brother would be following suit. "Is wanted for the murder of..." Kiyoshi paused upon spotting Shigemi hightailing it like her life depended on it. Before he could act upon the discovery, Kiyoshi felt another body hit him...hard; tossing themself and him over the edge. With minimal thought, he quickly threw a small blade, aimed for straight towars the lass's back The commotion in the distance told her he was in hot pursuit. She formed a single hand seal, one Shigemi becoming three. As she slid into a quiet part of town, the young woman would take a breather. Meanwhile, one of her clones continued to high tail it as fast as possible. That is, until she felt slam into the small of her back. Shigemi II stumbled, though remained upright. Reaching behind herself, she pulled out the blade, wincing as blood oozed along it. "He's pretty good. Now, where is he...." The clone turned, scanning for the direction the blade had come from. She ignored the blood still coming out of her back, even as she felt a little bit of wooziness creep in.